Social Cognitive Career Research Articles

Australia as the destination for study abroad: International students’ mobility

International students have become one of the main populations in Australian universities. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many international students decided to go to other countries and regions for their higher education due to the border control policies in Australia. Based on the social cognitive career and motivation theory, this study explored the motivations and reasons why Chinese postgraduate international students decided to return to Australia after the Australian government officially re-opened the border for on-campus and face-to-face education and why Chinese postgraduate international students decided to study in Australia instead of other countries, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the general inductive approach with semi-structured interviews, focus group activities, and member-checking interviews, 20 Chinese postgraduate international students' stories were captured. The findings indicated that financial, academic, and personal considerations are significant in the participants’ decision-making processes. The results will fill the research gaps and become a reference in international student mobilities, decisions, and decision-making processes of international students, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Australian university environment.

Role Transformation of Teachers in Higher Vocational Colleges under Artificial Intelligence Assisted Art Creation: A Qualitative Study of Art Design Teachers

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has made remarkable progress in image processing, speech synthesis, intelligent creation, etc., and has shown great potential for application in artistic creation. In the teaching scenario of higher vocational colleges, teachers not only bear the responsibility of cultivating students' hands-on ability and creative thinking but also need to constantly adapt to the teaching changes brought about by technological advances. With their strong digital intuition, creative thinking and flexible adaptability, young art design teachers can make better use of AI technology to assist artistic creation, improve teaching quality, and enrich students' creative learning experience. Traditional art education usually relies on teachers to impart knowledge, guide practice, and evaluate works in the classroom; however, the widespread application of AI technologies has brought about a revolutionary transformation in art education, and new educational resources such as generative design tools and online assisted design platforms are gradually changing the traditional teaching mode and the role of teachers. Using self-efficacy theory and social cognitive career and motivation theory as a framework, this study investigated twelve in-service young art design teachers through 1) semi-structured interviews; 2) focus group discussions, and 3) member-checking interviews. The researcher analysed the data using a general inductive approach to capture the following core themes: 1) new role orientation; 2) continuing professional development and 3) support from society and educational institutions. Institutional support. The results of the study help to deeply understand the relationship between AI and art education in higher vocational colleges, clarify the self-worth positioning of young art design teachers in the new era, and provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the transformation of teachers' roles and the professional development of art education.

From University Students and Graduates to Male Sex Workers: The Career Decisions and Decision-Making Processes

There is limited information concerning the experiences and career decision-making processes of male sex workers in South Korea. The aim of this study was to understand the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of a group of male university students and graduates who decided to join the sex work profession in South Korea as part of their career development. Qualitative research design and snowball strategies were employed in 2021 with nine male sex workers. Interview sessions, online focus group activity, remarkable items sharing, and member-checking interview sessions were undertaken to collect rich stories and promote understanding of male sex workers who are completing or have completed their bachelor’s degrees in South Korea. Based on the social cognitive career and motivation theory, three main themes were highlighted: (1) financial consideration, (2) personal interest in sexual activities, and (3) limited career opportunities for the younger generation. The findings illustrate the motivations of a group of educated male sex workers and the social issues for sex workers in South Korea. Government bodies, policymakers, and non-profit organizations may use this study as a reference for policy development and human resources schemes.

The Relationship Between Social Stigma and Career Decisions of Individualized and Freelance Male Sex Workers

Switching from a white-collar professional to a sex worker is not an easy step, particularly for individuals with a postgraduate degree in South Korea who may have significant expectations from their parents, peers, and communities. Based on the social stigma theory and social cognitive career and motivation theory, this study aims to understand how stress and pressure impact the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of individualized and freelance male sex workers and their career transition experiences in South Korea. Based on the thematic analysis, ten highly educated male sex workers joined and shared their experiences. The researchers categorized three main finding themes, including (a) not liking the office and white-collar positions, (b) not wanting to hide sexuality as gay and bisexual men, and (c) financial considerations play a significant role in experiences and career decision-making processes. This study examined the social stigma, challenges, and career decision-making processes of male sex workers who previously held white-collar positions in South Korea but switched to sex work after a few years of service. Based on the outcomes of this study based upon the voices from the male sex workers, government leaders and non-profit organizational workers should use this study as a reference to establish support and plans to help sex workers due to their situations and social challenges.

Experiences and Sense-Making Processes of Online Teaching Internship: A Master of Teaching Programme

Teaching requires a student-teaching internship for the license and registration, usually completed from the face-to-face and on-campus components. However, due to the covid-19 pandemic, many classrooms have switched to online platforms, regardless of the levels. This study aims to understand student-teachers’ experiences of an online-based student-teaching internship and how such internships influence the sense-making processes of student-teachers in online school environments. In line with the self-efficacy theory and social cognitive career and motivation theory, the case study method was used to invite a group of Master of Arts in Teaching students (a total of 18) to share their experiences and sense-making processes of their online student-teaching internship. Semi-structured interviews, focus group activities, and member-checking interviews were used to collect data from the participants. Based on the qualitative data, three themes were categorised: 1) positive experiences, 2) technology education is the trend, and 3) preparation for online classroom environments. The study may provide support or ideas to university leaders, supervisors, department heads, student-teachers, and policymakers to reform and polish their teaching qualification programmes with different types of delivery modes in order to meet the needs and educational trends of the coming decades. Keywords: case study, Master of Arts in Teaching, online learning, self-efficacy, sense-making process, social cognitive career, motivation theory, student-teaching internship

How to drive sustainable entrepreneurial intentions: Unraveling the nexus of entrepreneurship education ecosystem, attitude and orientation

AbstractWhile the nexus of the entrepreneurial education (EE) framework shapes education policies and promotes entrepreneurial opportunities to achieve global sustainable development goals, studies on the potential mechanisms by which the ecosystem dimension of entrepreneurial education (EEE) influences entrepreneurial behavior are still scarce. To address these lacunae, this research study investigates the interaction between EEE elements (institutional environment, course curriculum, and academic incubators) and sustainable entrepreneurial intention (SEI) and in addition, examines the role of attitude towards sustainability (ATS) as a mediator from the resource dependence perspective, deploying the theories of planned behavior and social cognitive career. Furthermore, we examine the moderating role of sustainable entrepreneurial orientation (SEO) in the relationship between ATS and SEI. We developed and tested a model on a sample of 402 university and academic institution students with diverse academic backgrounds using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results indicate that ecosystem elements of EE and attitudinal attributes are crucial factors in promoting SEI. The indirect impact of EEE involves fostering ATS, which in turn augment SEI. The results also reveal that SEO is a moderator that shapes attitudes and career intentions towards sustainable entrepreneurship. In sum, the present empirical study sheds light on the pathway to build sustainable entrepreneurial careers through analyzing the ecosystem framework of entrepreneurship education. Implications, limitations, and future research avenues are discussed in detail.

Motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of mid-aged master of social work students

ABSTRACT Professionals working in health and social care in the United Kingdom face long-term stress and burnout. Some staff decided to leave the health and social care profession, particularly since the United Kingdom left the European Union. While Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated the insufficient human resources in health and social care and the shortage of qualified social workers, the resultant stress and burnout is the long-term issues. This study aims to understand the motivations and reasons why second-career Master of Social Work students decide to join the social work profession during their mid-age. Phenomenology was employed and twenty Master of Social Work students at three British universities were invited. Using social cognitive career and motivation theory and a two-step data analysis procedure, the four main findings resulting from this study were the success of the internship arrangement in boosting careers in populated rural communities, the ability of rural social workers to improve the lives of aging populations, and the advantages of being part of a supportive work community, including experiencing a supportive managerial style. This study will fill the gaps in identifying issues related to workforce shortage, social work education, and internship placements in social work settings.

“I want to learn English after retirement”: The blended learning experiences of senior citizens

Life-long learning is one of the educational topics in countries and regions in the East Asia region. Currently, many senior citizens decide to gain their English language proficiencies and skills after their retirement in Hong Kong SAR. Although Chinese and English are the official languages in Hong Kong SAR, many senior citizens cannot handle both languages due to their previous education and background. The purpose of this study is to understand the learning motivations and experiences of a group of senior citizens in Hong Kong, particularly with regard to using the blended learning mode as the means for instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the coordination of adult learning centre, 40 participants who were taking a blended English-as-an-Additional Language course were joined the study. The online-based semi-structured interview and focus group activities were employed. In line with the social cognitive career and motivation theory and self-efficacy theory, the results indicated that: (1) achieve my personal goals, (2) I want to speak English as my additional language, and (3) life-long learning as my development, were the main themes. The results of this study provided some suggestions to programme managers, course leaders, school heads, and human resources planners for the directions in life-long learning and foreign language or additional language learning to senior citizens in the metropolitan regions.

Women’s learning motivations: Qualitative inquiry of doctoral students in civil engineering

Professional practice and engineering education are important developments in the field of engineering. Based on Social Cognitive Career and Motivation Theory, this study aims to understand the motivations, reasons, and career decisions of doctoral students of civil engineering. Specifically, the researcher aims to understand the motivations and reasons that may influence students’ decision-making processes, particularly those of women, in regard to joining a doctoral degree programme in engineering. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilised in this study, with three interview sessions and one focus group activity employed for data collection. The findings indicate that achievements regarding education and career goals (becoming leading engineers and engineering educators), interests in career development (achieving advanced qualifications to obtain higher leadership positions), and the importance of surrounding environments and individuals (integral to One Belt One Road opportunities) are the main motivations and sense-making elements in regard to career decisions. Government leaders, human resources planners, department heads, university leaders, organisational managers, and other researchers may use this study as a blueprint to reform and improve their human resources management and engineering education schemes based on the recommendations and desires of scientists.

Human resources and workforce shortages in Jeju Island due to islandness: The challenges faced by former hospitality and tourism professionals

Workforce management is a problem in many islands. Although the Jeju tourism department and local business offer attractive promotions and opportunities, due to the demands faced by tourism professionals, many have left their positions in Jeju and returned to the mainland Korean peninsula. The purpose of this study is to explore the motivations, career decisions, and turnover behaviours of a group of former tourism professionals who had previously worked in Jeju for a period of less than two years. Based on social cognitive career and motivation theory, the study was guided by two research questions: 1) Why did the participants leave their positions in Jeju after less than two years of career development? and 2) How did the participants describe their working and living experiences in Jeju as professional tourism workers? The data from 42 participants indicated that overloaded responsibilities and unbalanced schedule, financial consideration, and personal consideration were the three major reasons for leaving Jeju. This study aims to help local businesses and governments to understand employees’ motivations, career decisions, and turnover behaviours. Further, this research seeks fill gaps in the literature regarding workforce shortages and tourism management for islands and remote regions, particularly in East Asia.

Female Engineering Students’ Motivations, Career Decisions, and Decision-Making Processes: A Social Cognitive Career and Motivation Theory

Although women’s rights and career developments have changed over the past decade, only a few updated studies have been conducted to understand the current backgrounds of women in engineering. This study aims to understand and investigate the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of a group of women in the engineering industry, specifically, a group of electrical and electronic engineering students in Taiwan. Based on social cognitive career and motivation theory, the study was guided by two research questions: 1) Why do Taiwanese female electrical and electronic engineering students decide to study this major at university level? 2) Do the participants intend to join the electrical and electronic engineering industry after graduation? Why or why not? The general inductive approach research design with interview, focus group, and member checking interview were used. The results indicated that academic interests, interests in career development, and job security concerns played significant roles in the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of a group of female engineering students in Taiwan. The results of this study filled the gaps in gender discrimination, social stigma, and stereotype toward women in engineering, particularly in Taiwan.

End of the road? The career intentions of under-represented STEM students in higher education

BackgroundThe analogy of the leaky pipeline has been used to describe STEM education, with lower student diversity from compulsory to post-compulsory education and beyond. Although extensive research has explored the views and experiences of school-aged children about STEM, fewer studies have examined the career intentions of STEM students at university, especially those from under-represented backgrounds (e.g., racial/ethnic minority, women and working class students). This paper draws on a large qualitative study that interviewed 110 under-represented STEM undergraduates in the UK. We focus on students’ STEM career intentions and the likely directions of their post-degree trajectories, drawing on the lenses of science identity and Social Cognitive Career Theory.ResultsThree pathways were identified. The first group plans to pursue a career in or from STEM. While social inequalities may persist, the potential impact of these challenges may be neutralised by the personal drive and passion of STEM career-oriented students, who seem committed to drive into an STEM future. The second group stated intentions for non-STEM-related careers, leaving the STEM pipeline. The reasons students gave for their imminent departure from STEM are the better financial reward on offer in some non-STEM sectors, especially in finance and business, as well as wider social inequalities and stereotypes. The third group was undecided, those who are uncertain or unclear about their futures. Students described a general lack of direction or clear career pathway, from a complete lack of career ideas to an overload of options.ConclusionsWe conclude with a reminder that the STEM pipeline is far from secured or equitable, despite apparent progress in participation and representation. We reiterate the importance of fostering a diverse, inclusive and supportive learning environment that maximises the participation, strengths and potential of all students, especially those from under-represented backgrounds. While it is not uncommon for STEM students to pursue careers outside of STEM, we need to be wary that those who exit the STEM pipeline are not forced off the road by social inequalities and exclusions.

“Switching to the Online MA TESOL Program”: Experiences and Decision-Making Processes of International Learners

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the curricula and mode of instruction for many postgraduate taught and research programs. Before the pandemic, many MA TESOL programs included on-campus tutorials as requirements, as the curricula were designed based on on-campus activities. However, as the United Kingdom restricted face-to-face teaching due to social distancing, most of the courses were switched to online learning platforms during the pandemic. Although most courses returned to on-campus teaching during the 2021/2022 academic year, a group of East Asian international students decided to continue their MA TESOL program online as an alternative option. The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences and decision-making processes about this group of MA TESOL students and their decisions to finish their degrees via the online completion option. In line with social cognitive career and motivation theory, the results indicated that flexibility, career development through online learning options, and concerns about job security were the main three themes that arose within this group of students. The outcomes provide suggestions to university leaders and program directors in regard to developing additional online courses and programs to meet the needs of adult and postgraduate students who cannot attend on-campus courses, particularly MA TESOL learners.

Pre-Service Primary School Teachers’ English Language Professional Development: Teachers’ Learning Motivations and Developments

English language teaching is one of the requirements for many Bachelor of Education programmes in Taiwanese education colleges and universities. In Taiwan, English language is considered one of the general education requirements (usually eight credits) for all undergraduate students. Although additional English language courses are not required for graduation, many universities require final-year students to achieve satisfactory grades on the TOEIC (The Test of English for International Communication) exam for graduation. The purpose of this study is to understand the motivations and reasons for the decision of a group of Bachelor of Education (Primary) students to study additional English courses beyond their curriculum. An online-based semi-structured interview tool was employed to recruit and collect data from 20 participants in the School of Education at a Taiwanese university. In line with the Social Cognitive Career and Motivation Theory, two themes were captured: 1) preparation for the TOEIC exam and 2) career promotions and opportunities. This study provides ideas for programme managers, department heads, and government departments for English language training beyond university requirements. Also, the outcomes indicate that exams played important roles in learners’ motivations, particularly in English language learning.

Can I Teach Abroad? Motivations and Decision-Making Processes of Teachers to the International Locations

Over the past few decades, South Korea has become a popular education and teaching destination for native English teachers, international school teachers, and university lecturers. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the requirements, offshore teachers need to complete the self-funded quarantine before they can join the workforce in South Korea. This study aims to understand the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of a group of native English teachers who decided to come to South Korea to develop their English language teaching career, particularly those who came during the COVID-19 pandemic. The phenomenological approach with interview session, focus group activity, and member checking interview were employed. Based on the social cognitive career and motivation theory and qualitative data from 38 participants, three themes were categorized: special life pathways, easy employment, and attractive cultural environment. The results of this study may provide some recommendations to school leaders, employers, and policymakers for native English teachers who would like to provide teaching services in their countries. As the COVID-19 pandemic and traveling restrictions will eventually eliminate, the human resources management and school leaders should continue to reform and improve the management to meet the needs of the long-term human resources shortage.

Stress, workplace bullying, and career decision of male nursing students: a qualitative inquiry of male undergraduate nursing students

Background: This study aims to understand and explore the relationships between stress, workplace bullying, and experiences of male nursing students in South Korea. A shortage of nursing professionals is currently a significant problem in the health and social care system. Although the government has established enrolment plans and scholarships for potential nursing students, long-term solutions still have not been found. The number of newly registered male nursing professionals is still significantly low. Based on the self-efficacy approach and social cognitive career and motivation theory, three research questions guided this study: (1) What are the sources of stress for male nursing students in South Korea? (2) How would male nursing students describe their position, role, and experience as male individuals in South Korea? (3) Do gender role, gender discrimination, gender bias, and gender inequality influence the experience of male nursing students in South Korea? Method: With the qualitative inquiry, 20 male nursing undergraduate students were invited. The results indicated that stress from the gender role, discrimination and social bias due to their gender and nursing position caused the relationships between stress, workplace bullying, and career decision. Results: Based on the results, male nursing students face stress, burnout, pressure, and gender bias, which may influence their career decision and long-term development. Conclusion: Therefore, government departments, university leaders, medical facilities managers, and human resource planners should take this study as the opportunity to reform and polish the government policies and regulations to answer the gender discrimination and bias in the health and social care profession.

Motivation of Taking Distance-Learning and Online Programmes: A Case Study in a TAFE Institution in Australia

The distance-learning and online courses and programmes are popular during the COVID-19 Pandemic due to the recommendation of social distancing and closure of borders in Australia. The purpose of this study is to explore and understand the motivation and decision-making processes of international students who continue their academic courses and programmes using online distance-learning platforms under the COVID-19 Pandemic. With the case study design, the researcher recruited 20 international students who are currently completing their academic courses and programmes through distance-learning from a Technical and Future Education (TAFE) institution in Australia. Based on the Social Cognitive Career and Motivation Theory, the researcher categorised that the educational achievements and career goals, the achievements of education and career goals, and interests in career development drove the factors of their motivation and career-decision-making process. The results of this study will provide a blueprint for school leaders, department heads, government agencies, policymakers, and researchers to reform and upgrade the current curriculum for technologically-assisted teaching and learning strategies and international students’ experiences.
 
 Received: 16 June 2021 / Accepted: 11 August 2021 / Published: 5 November 2021

The Relationship between Workforce Sustainability, Stress, and Career Decision: A Study of Kindergarten Teachers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

A shortage of qualified teachers has been a long-term problem in many school districts and education systems internationally. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the current human resource gap in teaching significantly impacted the quality of teaching services and the experience of all school parties. Based on social cognitive career and motivation theory, two research questions guided this study: (1) Why did kindergarten teachers decide to leave their teaching positions and education professions permanently during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) Did stress, burnout, and technology-related issues influence their career decision? 60 kindergarten teachers shared their insights through interviews and focus group activities. The results indicated that personal considerations of their family and trained skills, surrounding environment and individuals, and financial considerations played important roles in their career decisions and sources of stress. The study provides recommendations to government heads, school leaders, human resource planners, and headteachers to replan and reform current human resource and workforce planning for the ongoing teachers’ shortages during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Psychological stress, job satisfaction, and career decisions of taxi drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study of male senior taxi drivers

Background and objective: The purpose of this study aims to understand and explore the relationships of stress, job satisfaction, and the career decisions of taxi drivers in South Korea, particularly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Based on the self-efficacy approach and social cognitive career and motivation theory, this study was guided by two research questions, as follows: (1) What are the stress factors for senior taxi drivers? How do senior taxi drivers describe the relationship between stress and job satisfaction, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea? Does age play a role? (2) Did senior taxi drivers leave or retire from the taxi driving profession due to stress and job satisfaction during or after the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea? Why? Does age play a role? Materials and methods: The purposive and snowball sampling strategies were employed to recruit 62 male senior taxi drivers all across South Korea. The in-depth, semi-structured, and private interview session was employed. Results: The results indicated that the surrounding environment and individuals, personal considerations with health and body condition, and financial consideration with insufficient pension from the government policy were three key elements for motivations and career decisions. Contributions and conclusion: Government leaders and policymakers should take the results from this study as a blueprint to reform and polish human resources planning and working rights for senior citizens who continue to work in the professions. Although the government has encouraged senior citizens to be part of the workforce until the age of 65, many senior citizens in late adulthood still suffer from negative workplace conditions and stress. Immediate solutions are needed as senior citizens deserve a manageable retirement.

The Impact of a Medical Education Research Faculty Development Program on Career Development, Through the Lens of Social Cognitive Career Theory.

The Medical Education Research Certificate at the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (MERC at CORD), a specialized adaptation of the Association of American Medical Colleges MERC program, provides faculty development in education research in emergency medicine. However, its long-term influence on career development remains unknown. Our study explored the impact of MERC at CORD on career development through the lens of social cognitive career (SCC) theory. This was a prospective qualitative study using a constructivist/interpretivist paradigm to assess long-term career development outcomes. A purposeful randomized stratified sampling strategy of MERC at CORD graduates (2011-2014) ensured diversity of representation (sex, region, number of research publications, and project group leadership). Subjects were invited by e-mail to participate in semistructured phone interviews. Thematic analysis by two independent reviewers followed an iterative process until saturation was reached. Twelve graduates were interviewed. All engaged with MERC at CORD early in their careers with minimal previous education research experience. Currently, all hold medical education leadership positions. Graduates had a mean of 19.3 publications (range= 9-43). Themes explaining reasons for participating in MERC at CORD include: desire for education research skills, recommendation of mentors/colleagues, and accessibility. Themes citing the program's value to career development include networking/collaboration, mentorship, informational framework to build upon, and the application of theoretical knowledge through experiential learning. MERC at CORD impacted career development aligning with the core domains of SCC theory including self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and goals. MERC at CORD enhanced the long-term career development of participants by providing a core knowledge framework in a mentored, experiential learning environment. Participants identified themes aligned with SCC theory as influential in their long-term career advancement in medical education including the development of education research skills, successful completion of education research, career acceleration, promotion, niche development, and formulation of professional goals.